New oyster shell recycling program

A press conference in the city of Charleston today revealed a new initiative to recycle oyster shell for the benefit of our marine resources. The oyster shell will be placed back into coastal waters and will serve as the birthplace for new oysters. Several oyster shell recycling programs already exist in the Lowcountry but this one enlists the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association. The new program brings together new partners The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, S.C. Department of Natural Resources, Fisher Recycling and the College of Charleston's Students in Free Enterprise club. Local caterer's such as Jimmy Hagood's Tidewater catering have been recycling oysters with SCDNR for years, but now special Fisher recycling oyster bins will be placed at participating restaurants (like Pearlz oyster house) with scheduled regular pickups. Of course all of this costs money and the funds will come in the form of a grant from the Coastal Program of the USFWS.

Photos by Jeff Dennis: The panel of partner agencies at the 9/30 press conference, the green oyster recycle bins that will be placed at restaurants